ultimate mobile app collection for travellers

Besides the Obvious

The 2021 ultimate mobile app collection for travellers

   

Written by:

danigarciagimenez

A traveler should have in mind an app for everything. This is the 2021 ultimate mobile app collection for travellers that will allow you to spare time, money and solve on your way any travel problems that could come up. All the apps in this collection are accessible for free and you can find them on Apple Store for iOS and Google Play for Android. Some of them may have a paid premium version. Check here 40 more tips to save money while travelling.

In this article:
1. Planning & maps
1.1. Google Maps
1.2. TripIt
1.3. Roadtrippers
1.4. Rome2rio
1.5. App In The Air
1.6. TripAdvisor
1.7. Culture Trip
1.8. PackPoint
1.9. AllTrails
1.10. Citymapper
1.11. RV Parks & Campgrounds
1.12. Been
1.13. Countdown
2. Help on-the-go!
2.1. World Travel Plugs
2.2. Highway Weather
2.3. HotelTonight
2.4. Splitwise
2.5. XE Currency Converter
2.6. Waze
2.7. Timeshifter
2.8. Hound
2.9. Trabee Pocket
2.10. GasBuddy
2.11. Flush
2.12. SOAR
2.13. Dayuse
2.14. Yelp
3. Flying apps
3.1. Jetradar
3.2. Skyscanner
3.3. Kayak
3.4. Momondo
3.5. Hopper
4. Taxi, train & buses apps
4.1. Trainline
4.2. Flixbus
4.3. Uber
5. To get a car
5.1. Rentalcars
5.2. BlaBlaCar
5.3. Getaround – Instant Car Rental
6. Tours & activities apps
6.1. Get Your Guide
6.2. Viator
6.3. Civitatis
7. To catch up with locals
7.1. Meetup
7.2. Couchsurfing
7.3. InterNations
7.4. Eatwith
7.5. Withlocals
8. Accommodation
8.1. Booking
8.2. Airbnb
8.3. HomeAway
9. Enjoy our discounts in the place

Planning & maps

Google Maps

The most obvious choice in our 2021 ultimate mobile app collection for travellers. Yes, I know, but we tend to forget about its best feature, the offline maps. A feature of the Google Maps app in iOS and Android that most people don’t know about is saving maps for offline use. After downloading the offline maps, you’ll be able to use them in the Google Maps app even when you’re in a location without internet. You just need to download the desired map upfront, you can download village, cities, entire country maps as well and store them on your phone as long as you need it. So wherever you are, it will be impossible to get lost even if you have zero connection and reception to the world, as you always have the chosen map with you, with all the information that Google Maps offer.

TripIt

TripIt is a trip planner which works more as a travel agenda than a prescription. It has the capacity of putting together all the services you got (car rentals, fly tickets) and the connections between them. It might be needed if you are a very frequent traveller and you need to make some order on your daily schedule on the go. Pro version is 49,99 Euros per year and offers some alerts while traveling, helping on, for instance, finding a better seat available or letting you know where your baggage is going to be dropped in the terminal. 

Roadtrippers

Roadtrippers is a very intuitive app. You choose a starting point and a destination for a trip and the app is suggesting all you can need along the route or nearby your position. The app can map your route with up to 7 waypoints free. Along your road trip, the app can show local food options, roadside popular spots, fuel stations, culture-related places, bars, pubs and restaurants, accommodations, and entertainment options. The app provides guides for common road routes, mainly Americans such as Route 66 and many others. Roadtrippers offers a Premium version which is improving the capacities. Regardless the app does not offer anything you cannot find by yourself using the most popular services of Google, it is a very nice app for long and frequent road trips. The categorization of the suggestion is good enough to justify a try!

Rome2rio

Rome2rio is a very useful classic. Probably the app which provides the clearest basic information to go from A to B all around the world. You just name a destination and the app will show to you the best options you have to arrive including different transports. The best point of this app in order not to get outdated by Google Maps improvements is that compares costs. Therefore is very useful on the go to check if it is better to catch the train or go by car to a secondary destination once you are visiting a foreign country.

App In The Air

App in the Air catches the title of the famous George Clooney’s film and it is for frequent travelers who spend a long time flying like the characters of the movie. The app is really cool and so considered Apple to include it into its best apps list. App in the Air keeps track of itineraries, boarding passes, and frequent-flier programs. It also informs the passenger about boarding and landing times, with updated waits for check-in, security, and customs. Through augmented reality, even helps you figure out if your carry-on is the right fit for your next flight. It helps in choosing the best place for coffee in a concrete terminal or where to find any kind of shop or business that it can recommend. It uses augmented reality to arrive at a detailed user experience. The app is free but also offers a paid premium version. It is one of the most useful apps you can find that includes real innovative content user experience-oriented.

TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor contains over 700 million reviews of 8 million destinations. It is a classic of travel information for booking a hotel, restaurant reservations, or any touristic activity. It has a large very active community and you can follow other users or read articles of travel experts. It is free on both iOS and Google Play and available in 28 languages. Personally I never liked the way the app is structured and the information architecture but since it is very contrasted by millions of users it is always worth keeping TripAdvisor in mind.

 

Culture Trip

Culture Trip – in their one single platform, you can discover and book spot-on stays and experiences. Since 2011 – for a decade – Culture Trip’s global community of travel experts and local insiders have hand-picked the world’s best bits to share unbiased recommendations and travel stories, and curated collections of places to stay, hotels, rentals, things to do, and experiences that can be booked online. Its best feature is that almost all of the articles are written by people on the spot, in the location, so you can get very authentic recommendations.

PackPoint

Have you ever thought how nice it would be to have a personal assistant not to forget anything on your next trip? PackPoint is your solution. It matches your destination according to the weather and other special needs to offer a list of items you should bring with you to a specific destination. You can now through out to the trash bin your old to-bring-list!

AllTrails

AllTrails is very worth for nature and sport lovers but not only for them but for every kind of traveller. Alltrails provides over 200.000 itineraries out of the beaten paths, along regular narrow roads, dirty roads and trails. It classifies and tags the routes by activity (hiking, clycling…) but also by the interests (cultural spots, nature…). No matters where you live or where you go, there will be plenty of routes for you nearby. A huge community is adding routes everyday and the app’s team is sensitive to any kind of travel need. The precise mapping of the routes are really remarkable.

Citymapper

Citymapper chooses for you the easiest way to get around cities all over the world. It offers up-to-the-minute info on mass transit, public transport, bike share,and many others. It is probably the best app for urban transport in our ultimate mobile app collection for travellers .

RV Parks & Campgrounds

RV Parks & Campgrounds offers a definitive solution for RV fans. It includes a larger number of stop-offs where to camp, either private or public, as well as their services. It is a kind of Social Media where you can rate and read the opinions of the rest of the community to have detailed information about the campgrounds.

Been

Hard to keep on track where have you been in the world? Are you one of those persons who is counting the number of countries that visited? Who writes bucket lists per continents? This is your app then to keep on track on the number of countries visited and to have a status on how many are still left.

Countdown

Do you like to keep on track of how many days are left until your next trip? Moreover, you like to add widgets to your mobile screen that is counting back to you, so immediately you can see the status when you unlock your phone? And all of this in a free version – unlike many competitors with premium versions in the app stores) Countdown is for you.

Help on-the-go!

World Travel Plugs

Before your next trip, find out what plugs, sockets, adapters are used around the world. Each location features: detailed diagrams on plugs and sockets, voltage information, and links to purchase travel adapters through Amazon.

Highway Weather

The graphic design of Highway Weather is improbable but this app is very intuitive and easy to use. You choose a starting point and a destination and the app tips you with the best time to go according to the weather conditions. You get some basic information like how long will be your trip and the weather conditions of the route on a map. It is not an excellent app but it does its job efficiently.

HotelTonight

HotelTonight is a great app if you are flexible. It helps you to book at the last minute with good offers and discounts in rooms worldwide. Indeed, it can provide nice deals for last minute bookings but it has no system of filters and that many options of searching as other apps have. The catalog of hotels they are working to is limited. Anyhow, you should keep in mind to use it if you decide to stay somewhere on the go.

Splitwise

Splitwise is the perfect app to keep track of your shared expenses and balances with mates, trips, groups, friends, and family. It’s excellent for using during trips with friends, or in groups, where the point is to share the expenses. The app calculates in real-time, at the moment you add a new expense, it’s immediately shared in the group and you can monitor easily who owns to whom with what. It’s super easy to create your own profile, then add / create your own travel group, and invite your travel mates there. After whoever pays for anything, just needs to add it to the group. And we have a clear balance after every payment.

XE Currency Converter

With XE Currency Converter you can keep on top of the changing rates, including the option to track up to 20 currencies with alerts and notifications. You can also use it to check prices, it can sometimes be tricky to work out if you’re getting a good deal when you’re working in an unfamiliar currency, XE will help you convert that into something more familiar on the spot. There is a free version of the App with adverts and in-app purchases or you can upgrade to the pro version.

Waze

Waze is a useful app to keep you updated about traffic, blocked roads, accidents, police controls, and some other hassles that might increase your driving time. In addition, It provides a speedometer to help you keep the speed limit, and it updates on-the-go your arrival time based on real live traffic data. Either for working or vacation purposes to have current and updated on real-time information is always an asset.

Timeshifter

A unic case in our ultimate mobile app collection for travellers. It uses science to predict and help you on your jet lag after a long distance flight. If you are one of those who usually felt out of energy, dizzy or even sick after flying, just give Timeshifter a try. The information you receive is very interesting and it is based in serious studies that have been useful even for astronauts

. 

Hound

Hound from SoundHound cooperates with some other companies like Uber or Yelp to provide updated information. It works by voice and it wants to be your personal travel assistant on the go to look for all your travel related needs, like finding restaurants, bars, accommodation, knowing the weather forecast, calling a taxi and many others. It is a very interesting service for all kinds of travellers, specially for those ones very used to voice working services.

Trabee Pocket

Trabee Pocket is the perfect solution of our ultimate mobile app collection for travellers to track your expenses and checking if you follow your own budget on a trip. You can classify and archive your receipts, bills or expenses with notes and images and check stats about how much you spend on what while travelling. It has a currency converter to have immediate conversions on the go when you need. Once at home you can export the data on a file and work on it!

GasBuddy

GasBuddy only works in America so far, which is quite limiting. Regaless, it has nice services like a gas price map and a trip cost calculator, with useful search filters. It contains a lot of valuable information about what the stations can offer during your trip. It is even possible to get a GasBuddy card to pay and get discounts in some petrol stations.

Flush

This application has a map that is synchronized with a large worldwide database of bathrooms around the world available out of connection, which is really useful while travelling. You can know if you need a key or the toilet is public and have updated information about the condition and the safeness of the toilet provided by the community of users. Flush has an “urgency” filter which can save your reputation after a suspicious meal. 

SOAR

SOAR uses science to help you in your flying panic. If you are one of those who fears to get into a plane, just give a try to this up. Based on serious studies it helps in the process of anxiety, claustrophobic and panic. It contains tutorials and videos to manage in advance and during the process those symptoms that make your flights terrible.  

Dayuse

Dayuse is the app to book hotels to stay some hours during the day. It has a database of thousands of hotels in 25 countries where you can stay and enjoy all the common services of the hotel during the time you book. It has an intuitive searcher where you can select the location, the arrival time and the hours you would like to stay. You will be surprised about how many hotels can provide this day-service for you.

Yelp

Use Yelp and perform as a local. Yelp has an amazing database of services, like restaurants, bars, nightclubs and many others like auto repair that can be very useful during you trips. The app has a system of very detail filters that help a lot find very specific services you may need. Don’t miss it!

Flying apps

Jetradar

Jetradar is an intuitive and cheap flight searcher. It provides the best results doing exactly the same good job as others do but it provides some good offers with its partners and the most important thing: no surprises. The final price you see when you search is the final price you will pay, not more after clicking on accept. Jetradar is one of Besides the Obvious affiliated partners so you can have the best price on our website.

Skyscanner

Skyscanner is a classic searcher and broker for flights, hotels and rental cars. The basics for your trip. It charges commissions but includes nice helpful filters to precise your searches. Its best asset is their assistant to fly anywhere which rates the results in terms of price. It is a very good tool for inspiration. Not that much for buying.

Kayak

Kayak is one more classic searcher and broker for flights, hotels and rental cars. It is very popular in America and indeed it is very efficient. Lately they have improved the searcher with trains and full experiences but Its best asset is still the map where you can have inspiration if you are flexible with the destination. It charges commissions so it is not the best idea to make a final booking via them.

Momondo

Momondo is a fair searcher. You can search for a flight, hotel, car, package or other travel-related offers on hundreds of travel sites at once. The final price will be what you pay at the end. Momondo only earns money when a full reservation is made on the website to which you have been redirected, by clicks or with advertising on the website. They do not charge you fees or commissions. The results of the searches will show the same options as those you may receive on the rest of the searchers. 

Hopper

Type in your destination and a color-coded calendar will show you the cheapest (and most expensive) dates to fly. Hopper will then recommend whether you should go ahead and buy now, or hold off until the rates get better. If it tells you to stay tuned, you can set up a price watch and put your phone away. When the fare has dropped to its lowest point and it’s time for you to swipe, Hopper will send you a notification.

Taxi, train & buses apps

Trainline

Trainline is probably the best service to book trains and buses in Europe. It can combine both trains and buses. You can get the best offers and the latest discounts from the companies. Its searcher is very intuitive and the navigation is user-friendly. Get it to download on any trip around Europe! 

Flixbus

Flixbus is the biggest bus company in Europe. Its website is not intuitive but the app is better. You can do your bookings (probably you may need Flixbus in your personal backpacking European tour). It is possible to locate the stations and the app can guide you there. In addition, you can get discounts and get some extra services like direct access to lost objects and some other information relevant for your trip.

Uber

Regardless of the number of competitors on the markets, Uber is still one of the most reliable and cheapest options in many countries to move around. The same application works worldwide, with the same bank card information and it needs only an internet connection to update the map and the relevant services. I have already used this app all over the world – North America, South America, South Africa, Europe & Asia so far, and never ever had any bad experience with it. That I cannot say about the competitors in local markets. Not to mention their food service as well, if you are after a long trip, finally resting at your accommodation and don’t want to go out, with the same Uber account you can use Uber Eats, which will deliver you local flavors based on your choice.

To get a car

Rentalcars

Rentalcars is the most trustworthy Car Rental broker in my opinion. I have used it for many years without any incident or bad experience I could name. You can book easily and at the best price and cancel anytime before getting the car for any reason. You can speak with them and ask for help if you don’t find what you are looking for and to know the prices of different location returns, border crossings, or any other matter you need to discuss with the Car Rental Company.  

BlaBlaCar

BlaBlaCar is the best-known app to share a private car with other random passengers. It is a perfect alternative to public transport for every mobile app collection for travellers. It is easy to use and very efficient and safe either for passengers and drivers. I have used the app for years and I became an ambassador as a driver and I have never had a problem. You can have cars as a passenger to share and make your trip very cheap wherever you go and, as a driver, you will drive for free almost every time you need to go somewhere.

 

Getaround – Instant Car Rental

Need a car for an hour day, or week? You can rent one with the Getaround app, and you’ll always have a car whenever and wherever you need one. It works like all car-sharing apps, but actually, Getaround is the world’s leading car-sharing platform, with 70,000+ cars and 5 million users in 300+ cities. Previously they were called Drivy, if it sounds more familiar to you. All rentals are fully insured by Allianz and covered with roadside assistance by the AA. It works super easy via one app: you can find available cars around you, choose the right one for your trip, book from a local owner, unlock the car with your phone, and return when you’re done.

Tours & activities apps

Get Your Guide

Get Your Guide’s mission is it to bringing you personal experiences. Wherever your travels take you, they’ll show you the unique and unmissable things to do in your destination. With Get Your Guide on your side (and on your phone), creating memorable moments has never been easier. They’re changing the way people connect to the places they visit so anyone can create their dream vacation. Sometimes their program offers can be expensive, of course it depends on the location too, but anyhow it’s worth to review their selection of activities and be inspired to re-create the same itineraries by your own, without booking anything.

Viator

Viator is a very powerful app for any kind of activities you would like to do in a concrete place. They have thousands of activities on their catalog since they cooperate with local companies to include their offers on their website. Take a look and discover it by yourself!

Civitatis

Civitatis has a large catalog of activities all around the world. It is very easy to navigate on the app and find a good plan in the place you visit. The explanation for each activity is very exhaustive and complete, so you will know all the details about what you will do. They have some very cheap activities.

To catch up with locals

Meetup

Meetup is probably the most powerful app to socialize by group of interests of the present mobile app collection for travellers . There are thousands of interests and groups and activities to enjoy anything you like to do everywhere. If you have a concrete idea of what you want to do in a concrete place with people just use Meetup everywhere.

 

Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing is already a classic of travellers self-support. Let’s see, with your profile done you can host and be hosted for free by any other user all over the world. If you want to be hosted you can search by location or any other criterion and send a request that must be accepted by the other user. You can chat, you can meet people and share experiences with other travellers. Just remember that a host is not a hotel for free, try to share something good to those who are making you a favor. 

InterNations

InterNations Communities are present all around the world and unites expats and locals. Basically wherever in the world life takes you, there is an InterNations Community to help you feel at home. Currently, they are present in 420 cities worldwide and they focus more on professional get-togethers and insightful conversations. Just download the app and check where nearby you can find the closest InterNation Community and what kind of activities they have for you.

Eatwith

Online cooking classes and workshops led by one-of-a-kind expert hosts live from over 130 countries. Eatwith is the world’s largest platform for online culinary experiences. Join hand-selected hosts for live online cooking classes and workshops where you’ll learn to prepare delicious local recipes, and discover exciting food cultures and century-old traditions.

Withlocals

Just arrived at your destination? Looking for things to do nearby? It’s now possible with the Withlocals Tours & Travel App! Better than any guide book, let a local guide you personally! Find unique tours and food experiences in 50+ cities around the world. You can enjoy the city highlights and discover the hidden gems without touristy crowds.

Accommodation

Booking

Probably the best-known platform for reservations of this mobile app collection for travelers. It allows accommodation searches all over the world. No matters what is your favorite type of accommodation or where and when you want to sleep there: you get it! It has filters that allow the user to find and choose exactly what is convenient for them. As a client, you have many guarantees using booking since your reservation is guaranteed, the price is always the cheapest available and you are able to cancel following the cancelation policy of the accommodation you have accepted at the moment of making the booking. Booking is one of our partners and offers discounts and even better prices booking via besidestheobvious.net, check out our affiliate partners page!

Airbnb

Airbnb is probably the most famous app in our ultimate mobile app collection for travellers for booking rooms and flats directly from local owners. It has had a golden period before struggling with some local regulations that tried to stop the over massive tourism and the illegal tourist flats that annoyed the local neighbors with parties. Well used is a fair and very convenient way of feeling the local vibe on a place. Check it before booking a hotel.

 

HomeAway

HomeAway is the world’s leading marketplace for vacation rentals, with over 2 million paid listings of vacation rental homes in 190 countries. HomeAway offers an extensive selection of vacation homes that provide travelers with memorable experiences and benefits, including more room to relax and added privacy, for less than the cost of traditional hotel accommodations. Not to mention that you can also list your property, and exchange your home with another person living in another part of the world for the holidays. HomeAway offers vacation rentals ranging from simple apartments to luxury and unique options (even castles). If you are interested, don’t hesitate to use our affiliate link for discount prices.

Did we miss any travel apps that you believe should be part of this list? Don’t hesitate to share with us in the comment section and we will happy to update the list!

Enjoy our discounts in the place

Best hotel & apartmant options on a discount price

Book your entrance tickets

Latest deals on the coolest activities

Favourite restaurant options

The cheapest rental car options

Get a convenient transfer

Book a taxi via us

Find the best train tickets here

Cover your insurance

Budget friendly flight deals

Dear Traveller, hope you liked the latest article from Besides the Obvious! If you would not like to miss any of our travel stories, destination ideas, vacation plans, holiday inspirations, do not forget to subscribe here!

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  4. ferrangp50
    Ferran

    Una guía necesaria para los amantes de los viajes

    Reply

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